Friday, February 9, the Office of Cultural and Ritual Communities and the Office of Faith Education hosted their third gathering with Montreal cultural communities, this time with Bishop Alain Faubert, Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal.

We were warmly welcomed at the Notre Dame de Haiti Parish. On this joyous occasion, Louise Boisvert, the director of the Office of Faith Education, welcomed all and introduced Msgr. Pierre Blanchard, who replaces Father Pierangelo Paternieri, as the head of the Office of Cultural and Ritual Communities.

As well, Mrs. Eliana Jaramillo who has just joined the team in the Office of Faith Education as the assistant director to the cultural communities and Mrs. Lucie McElligott, who has been part of the team for three months now were also introduced. This wonderful team together with Alessandra Santopadre work in service to the cultural communities.

Bishop Alain Faubert challenged us with Pope Francis' words to be a "Church which goes forth" a Church of missionary disciples, who take the first step, a church that goes out to others to the peripheries, to meet people where they are, both existentially and physically.

Msgr. Faubert outlined three steps, first: "Get up and go", the second step: "listen" and the third step "live the joy of being Christian".

Together with the great richness of our multi-cultural communities, we are the Church of Montreal, a unified Church, eager to take up the challenge, to go forth!